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Two firefighters injured battling blaze

Posted at 5:46 PM, May 24, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-24 18:01:28-04

Two Detroit firefighters are recovering after battling a garage fire that quickly spread to the nearby home after what may have been a propane or acetylene tank exploded.

The Robinson family was able to get out of their home on Hazelwood before the fire engulfed the house they've lived in for over 20 years.

One firefighter suffered a leg injury when the tank exploded. A neighbor helped another firefighter pull him to safety.

Fire officials say a second firefighter suffered burns.

Robert Robinson, the homeowner, blames firefighters for his house being destroyed because, he says, it seemed to take them about 15 minutes to respond.

The nearest firehouse is on the next block.

Some neighbors estimated the response time to be between seven and ten minutes.

We're told one woman ran to the firehouse to tell the firefighters to hurry up.

A spokesman for the Detroit Fire Department says that firefighters were dispatched at 12:15 pm and they arrived at the location at 12:17 pm.

One of Robert Robinson's sons was working on a car in the garage when, he says, the vehicle backfired, starting the fire.